Sidney b



(No Model.)

- .S. B. WHITESIDE.

DUPLEX LEDGER RULER.

No. 421,877. Patented Feb. 18, 1 890.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FEIcE.

SIDNEY B. VVHITESIDE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO HAMILTONCAMPBELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DUPLEX LE DGER-RULER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,877, dated February18, 1890.

I Application filed April 19, 1889. Serial No. 307,670. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that'I, SIDNEY B. l/VHITESIDE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and Stateof California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in DuplexLedger- Rulers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a perspective View of one end of myruler, showing the mechanism in dotted lines for adj usting the movableruler-plate. sents the under side of a portion of the movable plate withthe adjusting-lever attached thereto. Fig. 3 represents a plan or topView of a portion of the ruler with its sliding gage attached.

My improved ruler is intended for use by book-keepers and draftsnien,and is designed for making parallel lines at any desired distance apartwithout changing the position of the ruler upon the paper being ruled,and is adapted for closing accounts in ledger-s and for drawing parallellines, and shading lines in drawings and other analogous purposes.

The drawings represent one end or portion of the ruler; but the ends ofmy improved ruler are exactly alike, each end being provided withadjusting-lever a, pivoted in the metal arm I) of the fixed plate 0 andwith the gage-plate 71-. Arm 1? is secured permanently to the woodportion d of the ruler, in which a recess is formed at e under arm 1),shown in dotted lines as extending under movable plate-arms f,in which apivot pin or screwis inserted, which passes through a slot in thepivoted lever a, which is serrated at its outer end. A flat metal slideh,secured to the part d, is set down flush with the latter and with theplates 0 andt' and their arms 19 and f, and

its slot Works upon a countersunk screw and serves as a graduated gageto determine and set the movable plate t, and by the adjust ment of saidplate opening or slot j between the two plates 0 andc' can be widened ornar- Fig. 2 reprerowed. Depressions formed in part at at 0 p 8 allowmovable plate and its arms f and gaging slides h to work back andforth'as they are adjusted by the lever a.

It will now be apparent that the adjusting and gaging mechanism used ateach end of the ruler by manipulation of a person will effect thepurpose of closing and opening slot j between the plates 0 and t to anynecessary degree and to retain the plate a in such adjusted position,and that the adjustments may be made without changing the position ofthe ruler upon abook or paperbeing ruled. 60

In practice the book-keeper using this ruler to close accounts adjuststhe movable plate 4. into such position that the distance between theedge of cand the outer or ruling edge of the plate 0 equals the distancerequired between the two lines usually drawn at the foot of a column inclosing the same. He then places the ruler in position so that theruling-edge of c at the foot of the column to be closed and theruling-edge of i are at the line one space below, so that thebook-keeper can rule across the foot of the column and then withoutmoving the ruler can rule below the space intended for the footings. Theposition of plate i is changed by moving the adj usting-lever d at theends of the ruler.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent 1. The combination of thefixed plate 0 b and adjustable plate ifwith slotted lever a in recess 6 for widening and narrowing opening orslot j between the plates 0 and dot the ruler, substantially asdescribed.

2. The adjustable graduated slide h and adjustable plate 't' of theruler, in combination with part d, plate 0, and slotted lever a,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this 30th day of March,1889.

SIDNEY B. VVHITESIDE.

Witnesses:

- M. O. GALER,

H. P. K. PEOK.

